Holm's Idaho Histories

Holm’s first book was self-published in 2009, growing naturally out of research he'd begun for the Payette National Forest’s Heritage Program while a student at the University of Idaho.

The book is in the university’s library and the archives of the Idaho Historical Preservation Office. In 142 paperback pages, “Points of Prominence” goes from narrow focus — specific histories and anecdotes of every fire lookout on the Payette National Forest — to the wider picture of national wildland fire suppression policies and how they’ve shifted over a century. The book is loaded with photos and is considered a treasure trove of information by history buffs and forest managers alike.

Published in 2012 after three years of research and writing, Holm’s second book is already in a second edition through his own Cold Mountain Press. It’s 558 pages, weighs nearly three-and-a-half pounds and features 1,000 photos. As in his first book, Holm offers fantastically detailed accounts (this time of about 90 remote airstrips) but also brings in much more — settlement history in central Idaho, anecdotes about ranch life, the emergence of a wilderness ethic and tales of heroism in crashes and rescues.